This brings about some interesting possibilities: most users will be able to do 90% of their tasks (as of today and a growing amount as time goes on) without firing up the power-hungry x86 CPU; meanwhile its state could be frozen at any time by just saving off an image of its RAM to some really fast non-volatile memory so it could pick up exactly where it left off on command from the A10 "brain". The x86 compatibility layer will be hardware-based and well-implemented to ensure that the user gets a seamless experience.

Needless to say, lower-end Macs (if any are marketed) won't have the x86 chip- because it is already completely unnecessary for basic "average user" tasks, and Apple will make sure that all of its software is nicely ported and there may even be a handful of close partners that will do so as well. All of the "cool" things that Macs can do as well as any hardware innovations will be exclusive to the ARM side of the house, which will compel developers to leave the x86 codebase behind.

The viability of this transition strategy relies on saving enough money on development costs to cover the expense of selling machines with 2 CPUs without losing massive sales to competitors by having a product that is too expensive. That's where the challenge will be: the only way I can think of to achieve this will be to consolidate iOS and MacOS with the latter being basically a skin on the former plus the aforementioned compatibility layer.

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There is a large lineup of Macs going back as far as 2010 without an A10 chip that Apple still has to support. So this doesn't indicate the end of the hackintosh anytime soon. You'll still be able to use your current hackintosh for a long time. If only the new iMac Pro is getting this A10 chip it will also take some time before all Macs have one. Since the iMac starts at 5K dollars Apple can absorb the cost of using one in that machine. If you were to put one in a Mac Mini it would add much more to the retail price.

Yes, the average length of OS support for a new Mac is from 5-7 years so That makes it at least Fall of 2022 or later. Nothing to cry about right now. The good news is that they won't be dropping use of Intel chips/x86 during the transition. In 2006 IBM/ Motorola was completely left behind for Intel. A much more rapid transition. I still used my 2005 G4 Mac Mini until 2011 even though I couldn't even install Snow Leopard on it in 2009 4 years later.

Well seen the comparison with the bars of the RAM. They charge three times the true price, even because they put a sticker of a crunchy apple (who will always say the hardware does not belong to them, the firmware code yes).

Also Apple is going to make it easier to make universal apps. Apps that run on macOS, iOS without issue. Right now I have to code two or three different apps. I can share code but IB and other hardware specific stuff still needs to be done separately.

Meaning that ARM cpu might just totally replace Intel at some point and soon. Unless Intel really does something serious here, they could lose Apple completely. And I have a feeling that Nvidia and AMD are also going to lose Apple as well. If you're worth 60 Billion or whatever, and you can build everything in house or under complete control...why not? Make a 10 year goal and start that goal...6 years ago. Remember when Steve came back and they were already testing NextStep/OSX etc, under intel boxes? Well, back then they probably made the plan to be "processor independent" meaning they don't have to make a deal with anybody. I would have. I would have said back then...when the time comes, we make all our own guts too, so we don't have any supply issues ever.

They can do it. They can get better control more of what they want with ARM and not deal with a universal intel cpu. This also gets rid of the mackintosh community for sometime. Unless people really want to hack ARM stuff. I don't.